


Almanac

by RigbyJay



Series: Astrid's Log [2]
Category: Gaia Online
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:40:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29588751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RigbyJay/pseuds/RigbyJay
Summary: It's a tradition. As published in the 16th Edition of Gaia News Weekly.
Relationships: Gino Gambino (Gaia Online)/Original Female Character
Series: Astrid's Log [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2173581





	Almanac

Gino’s birthday was on May 13th. You had the unique privilege of having yours land exactly one week after. When Johnny first hired you he pointed this out and you had to politely shoot down an offer for joint birthday parties in the coming years. He conceded, but you had a feeling he was instrumental in your finding a present from his son on your desk later on. You thanked Gino in a card taped to a gift for him, simply wanting to return the favor.

Somehow it turned into a tradition. For the next few years until he sailed away on his airship you two would exchange gifts sometime in the week between your birthdays, and you like to think his appreciation for his gifts was genuine. You, of course, treasured every little thing he gave you -- including a beautiful poster of the Gambino skyline, your favorite archival notebook, and a set of old science-fiction DVDs. You weren’t a huge fan of those, honestly, but Moo Moo enjoyed the ones with aliens.

The first May that he was back on the Isle he caught you in your office one day, popping in simply to ask you what you wanted for your birthday this year. He didn’t have to get you anything, you said. He had just saved the world and returned from a year-long voyage, he didn’t have to waste brainpower on a birthday gift. And besides, you said with a chuckle, your sincerest condolences but his father wasn’t around anymore. So there was no pressure, no obligation.

“It’s not an obligation,” he said with a smile. “It’s your birthday!”

You loved this man more than life itself. You figured only your son could top him in your heart. He wanted an answer, so you gave it; boring as could be all you wanted was something you could learn from, new information. He nodded, his smile knowing and unsurprised -- this was not the first time you had given him that answer. When you reflected the question back to him, he averted his gaze a moment in thought.

“I could use more books.”

Gino had always been an avid reader. Books were a reliable gift for him -- he told you he read every one you gave him, and he got through them quickly. So the moment you were out of work for the day you bolted to your favorite local bookstore in the marketplace and began your hunt for the perfect piece of literature.

Fiction? Honestly, you weren’t a huge fan of it, so you found yourself a little lost in the aisles -- eventually ending up with an adventure novel in one hand and a romance novel with a conveniently dark-haired model swooning over her blonde paramour in the other. Upon the realization that you had been debating which one to pick with yourself for half an hour with zero progress made you ditched them both and treaded to more familiar territory. Nonfiction.

History? Maybe. But you weren’t sure how much of it he already knew -- though, given his position as the most powerful man on the Isle and basic heir apparent, you figured it was probably a lot. Maybe science; something about the sea or the environment. Or -- [i]oh![/i] -- a book on wind currents! Something he could use while on his airship! Educational and practical, you were confident in your decision as you began strutting down the aisles and scanning the appropriate shelves. But what you found blew your idea out of the water -- while also including the information you were looking for.

It was an almanac. A large, thick, leather-bound, gilded and gorgeous book all about airships; their composition, their history, different types, what materials suited what environments, as well as calendars and weather predictions for the coming year. Made, to your great delight, in collaboration with some of the best airship engineers on Dref Dur. It was perfect and worth every piece of platinum you spent on it. You were positive you had found the diamond in the rough, the rare gem that would inspire and excite. He would love it, he would use it, he would treasure it for years to come. You were quite sure this would be the best gift you ever got Gino.

He must have agreed. The next day, standing before him, you found the book yet again in your hands. Not the copy from the day before, though -- no, [i]Gino[/i] was holding that one. It was almost tragic; he had seemed just as excited as you were for the gift exchange. But now you both stood in your office in silence, glancing back and forth between the two copies of the book. Your eyes met one last time before your bodies could hold back no longer and you both started to laugh.

“I’m sorry,” he said through his smile once he could, wiping a tear from his eye. “I love it, I do.”

“No worries,” you said, waving your free hand in protest. “This is hilarious. I was so sure I found the only copy.”

“Me too!”

Such was life, you supposed -- couldn’t trust everything you found in the marketplace. Nevertheless, it was nice to be able to blame your fluttering heartbeat on something else as you watched him thumb through the pages. Pages he may very well have been familiar with by now. You, admittedly, had done the same once you had gotten home the day before. Truth be told, you [i]did love the book[/i]. And you told him so. Being an engineer yourself the first half of the book had enthralled you -- once you got to the weather patterns, though, you had stopped.

“Not something you’re interested in?” He asked. You rolled your shoulders in a shrug.

“It’s not really something I can use,” you answered, glancing over the back cover of your copy of the book. “I work on your ships, sure, but it’s not like I’m going on your voyages with you.”

“Actually,”

You returned your focus to him as he tucked the book under his shoulder, a small smile on his face and his eyes pleading — a man ready and waiting to ask you for a favor.

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”


End file.
